Harps one step closer to DoverDOVER — The Dover Planning Commission approved recommending the rezoning of property to the east of Rose Drug on State Highway 7 to allow for a Harps Food Store and gas station during a called meeting Monday night at Dover City Hall. The commission, which voted 4-0 with Commissioner Carl Wetzel absent, will recommend the Dover City Council approve rezoning of the property owned by the Jones and Johnson families during the council's regularly s...

Womack visits Freedom HouseEach year ARVAC Inc. Executive Director and a representative of the Governing Board of Directors attend the National Community Action Foundation conference in Washington DC. This conference offers several workshops on maximizing the effectiveness of local Community Action Agencies, but also offers the opportunity to interact with Congressmen and Senators who represent each Community Action service area across the nation. There is current legis...

Farmers market open for seasonThe Pope County Farmers Market starts its main season this week. The market will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Pope County Farmers Market operates in Russellville at 2200 W. Main St. in the West Side Church of Christ parking lot. Follow the market on Facebook at Pope County Farmers Market/Russellville’s Farm to Table Market for up to date information.

Oakes talks Complete StreetsFor the people who are against Complete Streets, City Engineer Michael Oakes has one thing to say — he understands. Wait, what? That's right. Oakes said up until about eight or nine years ago, he felt the same way. Oakes said the "light bulb went on" after he attended the Congress for the New Urbanism Transportation Conference in Kansas City, Mo., several years ago. During the conference, presenters described the concept of what is now known a...

2 found dead after Caglesville shootingCAGLESVILLE — A man and woman were found dead Friday night in northeastern Pope County, the result of an apparent murder-sucide. Pope County Sheriff Aaron DuVall said Saturday that Donna Lott, 44, and Jimmy Lott, 46, were found dead at their Caglesville home before 8:30 p.m. Friday night. Their bodies were turned over to Pope County Coroner Leonard Krout and were sent to the State Medical Examiner for autopsies. “All the evidence we have point...

News Briefs (Mar. 31, 2014)Archeological Society meeting The Arkansas River Valley Chapter of the Arkansas Archeological Society will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Arkansas Tech University Museum, located in the Techionery on the ATU campus. The program is “Salvaging a woodland site in western Arkansas: Excavations at the Wild Violet Site,” presented by Larry Porter. Porter will discuss findings from his excavations at Wild Violet, a Woodland period site in Logan County...

Circuit Clerk 101Most people are aware of the Pope County Circuit Clerk's office, located inside the courthouse, but many may be unaware of what the circuit clerk's office does. The primary duties of the circuit clerk's office — as stated on its page of the county's website, www.popecountyar.com — "revolve around filing, docketing, attending court, issuing of notices, summonses, subpoenas and reporting to the Administrative Office of the Courts." The office re...

Overpass completed ahead of scheduleConstruction of the North Phoenix Union Pacific Railroad overpass is complete, and the city will host an opening ceremony at 2 p.m. Monday. "The public is invited to come watch this historic event," City Engineer Michael Oakes said. The project, which was scheduled to be complete in August, was originally studied to be an underpass, but after extensive research city officials opted for an overpass. The decision to construct an overpass instead...

Keeping up with the JonesesOn May 20, Shane Jones was elected Pope County Sheriff and Larry Jones was elected Johnson County Sheriff. Shane Jones handily defeated C. E. "Charlie" Falwell in the Republican primary. Shane Jones received nearly 75 percent of the votes with 4,538 over Falwell's 1,551 votes. The votes are scheduled to be certified Friday, and all results are unofficial until then. Shane Jones has worked with the Pope County Sheriff's Office more than 19 year...

New voter ID law has little effect on Pope CountyTwelve provisional ballots were cast in Pope County's May primary, and only five of those were due to voters not bringing their IDs with them to vote. More than 7,300 votes were cast in the primary, according to unofficial numbers. The Pope County Election Commission is scheduled to certify the election at 1 p.m. Friday at the Pope County Courthouse in Russellville. Until that time, all numbers remain unofficial. "We had only 12, which is pret...

Charity runs help families in needRussellville’s recent series of charity runs succeeded in raising more than $52,000 for families in need. On April 25-26, the 2014 Pope and Yell County Relay For Life hosted 144 participants and 21 teams on the Pope County Fairgrounds. The event raised more than $36,000 at the event and will continue to receive donations through August. All donations will be sent to the American Cancer Society. Leigh Ann Veech, co-chair for Russellville’s Rela...

Atkins considers stipendsATKINS — The Atkins Board of Education is expected to vote over the summer on possible stipends for teachers who obtain national board certification. Chance Duncan, Atkins High School (AHS) science teacher, presented the proposal to the board during its regular May meeting. The board — after confirming that no teachers would be certified before August — tabled discussion pending further research. Duncan said three teachers in the district are ...

Russellville itches for mosquito controlSummer is just around the corner, bringing with it warmer temperatures and something else — mosquitoes. The city of Russellville doesn't currently spray for the insects, but some cities do. Eddie Murray, Morrilton Public Works Department director, said Morrilton funds spraying for mosquitoes with tax dollars. "They put it in the annual budget," he said. "It costs about $7,000-$8,000. You wouldn't believe how expensive that spray is." Murray sa...

News Briefs (May 24, 2014)Appleton Crime Watch meeting The Appleton Crime Watch meeting will be conducted on Monday at the Appleton Community Building. A potluck meal will be served at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7. The speaker will be Pope County Quorum Court Justice of the Peace Ben Cross. For more information, contact (479) 223-1117, (479) 284-5495 or (479) 858-1291. Century Farm application deadline The Arkansas Agriculture Department will accept appli...

RVPC discusses backpack program at latest meetingThe River Valley Prevention Coalition (RVPC) discussed a summer school backpack program during its regular meeting on Tuesday. Roy Smith, pastor at First United Methodist Church in Russellville, introduced a backpack program several area churches are coordinating with the Hunger Alliance. “We are working on trying to come up with an idea of how to provide backpacks for the kids at summer school at Oakland Heights,” Smith said. “They will help ...

PJH artists recognized in Little RockPOTTSVILLE — Junior High School art students have received recognition for not only the 18 awards they won this past school year but also artwork to be featured in several Little Rock locations. “It has been a great year of huge successes from my junior high art students. It is such a blessing to teach them,” junior high art teacher Carrie Drake said. “They are such an incredibly hard-working group of students, and I think that is evident in t...

Cyclist killed in crashThe victim in Friday morning's fatal crash has been identified as Jimmy Hood, Pope County Coroner Leonard Krout said. Hood, 55, of Russellville was killed Friday morning when the bicycle he was riding crashed with a semi-truck and trailer. Little Caesars Pizza, where Hood worked, will conduct a memorial at 7 p.m. Friday. The public is invited to attend. The Russellville Police Department (RPD) responded to the intersection of Weir Road and Eas...

Petitioner withdraws requestAfter tabling a special permit request for two months, the Russellville Planning Commission was scheduled to vote on the issue during its regular meeting Monday, but the request was withdrawn. "The petitioner did not want to pursue it," Lequitta Jones, planning assistant deputy city clerk, said on Wednesday. Rodney Scoggins initially went before the commission in March and requested a special use permit to allow sales and display of pools, spa...

M.J. Hickey Pool openingM.J. Hickey Pool will be opening on the weekends and the Memorial Day holiday starting Saturday, May 24. The pool will begin opening daily on June 5 when the school year is completed. Daily admission for adults (18 or older) - $4, children (7 - 17) - $3, children (6 and under) - $2. Individual season passes priced at $75 are available at the Hughes Center at 1000 E. Parkway Drive. Pool hours are 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day.